


The Sun of Shadows This Way Comes

by GlassAlice



Series: Elemental AU [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Coran owns a Comic Book Store, Dreams and Nightmares, Elemental Magic, Klance Reverse Bang 2018, M/M, Mild Language, Nerd Lance (Voltron), Nerd Pidge | Katie Holt, Nerds have the power, Past Lives, RenFair Keith, Renaissance Faires, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Vomiting, comic book store au, klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-04-26 22:17:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14411694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassAlice/pseuds/GlassAlice
Summary: Lance loves his job. It doesn't pay well, but working at Atomic Comics is a blast; especially when he gets to work with Pidge. Only, today it's raining and the store is slow. The kind of day where nothing interesting could ever happen. Until a cute RenFest boy walks through the door, and his whole world starts crashing down around him at one touch.The fate of the world lands on his shoulders as a war that raged just below reality becomes his destiny. Well, at least these new powers are cool, right?





	1. Once, the Guard of Starlight Beckons

Slouching behind the glass counter, Lance peered into the cardboard box on its surface and picked through its carefully stored contents. He drew out a single pristine copy of Ultimate Spiderman Number One from among the collection of newly acquired comics. Cautious of every corner, he slipped the issue into a cardboard-backed sleeve and placed it on the ever growing pile for Pidge to tag.

Pidge stood next to him, eyeing the page of back-issue prices through her green hipster glasses. She flicked the dial on the price gun to $4.50 and snapped a yellow sticker on the plastic slipcover, not missing a beat in their argument. “I just think a complete story is more compelling than fifty years of the same story being told over and over. I mean, seriously, it’s like some sort of weird, legitimized canon fanfiction of itself.”

Nodding to show he heard, Lance pulled a Bronze Age Superman from the pile--the offending book that sparked their age-old argument. “Yeah, sure. I mean, I get what you’re saying, Pidge. But you can’t just stop making _Superman_. The comic industry would collapse.” 

“But there’s no room for anything new if you just push out the same characters over and over. Where’s the innovation?” Pidge said. She grumbled to herself as she squinted down at the cost-sheet, “Why can’t these things all be the same price?”

Lance rolled his eyes, “There’s _tons_ of innovation. Look at Red Son! What’s more innovative than Superman growing up in _Communist Russia_?”

“First of all?” Pidge began, a dangerous fire in her eyes. “How is a spinoff where you change where he grew up _not_ considered fanfiction of the original? Oh right, it’s ‘innovative’ and ‘a creative re-telling’ because it was written by _a dude_. Red Son is just a Superman Russia AU.”

“Well…” Lance began, but honestly had no good response to that. He briefly flicked through memories of his favorite reimaginings of old tales and… _Oh, shit. She has a point._ But soon she gratefully pushed back into familiar territory.

“But how about The Walking Dead for _true_ innovation? And it even spawned an entire TV series!” Pidge pushed up her glasses with the top of her arm, unwilling to let go of the price gun to adjust them. “When was the last time Superman had a successful TV show, huh? Or a movie for that matter.”

“Ouch, Pidge. That’s a low blow.” Lance sighed. Honestly, he loved arguing with Pidge about comic books. And movies. Not to mention: video games, anime, manga, and trading card games. But this particular argument was being replayed for possibly the hundredth time, so-- “Hey Pidgeon, we’re almost out of backboards. Could you run and grab the stamp from the back?” --Lance tried distracting her with work. 

Pidge shook her price gun at Lance, a long tail of used pricing paper ribboning out and pooling around her feet. “Fine. But we’re continuing this conversation when I get back. You’re not getting out of this!” She tore off the long strip of used label paper, bundling it up in her arms to throw away as she stomped from the checkout.

Lance quirked a smile at her back, turning to make a full scan of the small store. A regular stood at the new comics wall, reading the latest issue of Kick-Ass, but otherwise the store was deserted. It was Thursday; most of the regulars came yesterday to pick up their new comics, and the stock from Diamond wouldn’t be in until next week. 

They really needed the shipment, too; the store always looked a bit sad right before restock day. The wall scrolls dangling from the ceiling were few and far between, and the figure case was down to single Black Panther statue. 

Lance breathed in the smell of comic books and sighed. It was such a boring, rainy morning. He bit his lip when he saw Pidge returning, holding a stack of cardboard backings and the official store stamp. Maybe he could preempt the Superman debate if he changed the subject.

Lance leaned against the glass counter, looking out at the dreary sky through the front windows. “God, it’s slow today. I hate when it rains. The books get all sticky and no one comes in.” He looked back at Pidge. “Besides, the only sane thing to do when it rains is go out and watch it. Am I right?”

“Well, I mean, yeah,” Pidge replied, dropping the stamp unceremoniously on the glass countertop. “What kind of heathen doesn’t run outside when it rains? You think Coran would mind if we…?”

Lance shook his head. “Shay tried it during monsoon season. Got a lecture from Coran about the delicate homeostasis of comic books and the dangers of humidity.”

“Harsh,” Pidge scoffed.

“Yeah. In his defense, though, I was in the back and she did kinda leave the store alone with a customer inside. It was just Jared, though,” he clarified, motioning with his head to the man standing by the new releases wall. “She propped the door so she could kinda see, but…”

“Right. Humidity. Homeostasis.”

“Yeah.”

Pidge stood on her tiptoes, leaning out to watch the heavy drops smack against the asphalt. “Well, if we went one at a time, though...”

“Pidge,” he warned.

“Yeah, alright, alright, I get it.”

“Ring me up, would’ya?” he asked, shifting behind Pidge. _Keep the conversation rolling and you won’t have to argue about Superman anymore. You’re losing, anyway._ Opening the cooler with his foot, Lance pulled out a Jones soda. He shoved the bottle at Pidge. “Barwench, if you please?”

“Watch yourself,” Pidge warned, taking the bottle and a crumpled five from him, “or this wench is gonna kick your ass.”

“I meant no disrespect, fair maiden,” he replied, reaching for the soda as soon as it was scanned, but Pidge was too fast. She body checked Lance with her shoulder in retaliation, hard enough that he stumbled a few feet out from behind the counter. 

Pidge slapped his change down on the counter with a grin, and slid the bottle sideways at Lance, who caught it before it tumbled. He chuckled, stepping forward to grab his change. Apparently the shove made them even. 

Pidge shut the till. “What time you off today?” 

“Three,” Lance replied, popping the top off the soda and taking a swig. “I opened.” 

“Shit. I was hoping for a ride home,” Pidge frowned, dropping both elbows onto the countertop and slouching so she could prop her head up with her fists.

“Why, you closing?” Lance asked. He leaned his back against the countertop, savoring the green apple flavor, cold and fizzing against his tongue.

“I guess, I wonder if Coran would give me one?” Pidge mused, gazing up at a sun-faded wall scroll as she rolled her neck side to side over her fists.

“Of course he would. Just ask.” 

“I’ll do it after lunch. Now, back to the downfalls of Superman,” Pidge began and Lance nearly choked on a swing, but thankfully the door chimed right at that moment. _Literally saved by the bell_

“God dammit,” she mumbled, just loud enough for Lance to hear, but joined Lance in calling out, “Welcome to Atomic Comics!” with gusto. Lance didn’t have to fake his enthusiasm at the interruption.

A huge girl stomped through the door, larger than Lance had ever seen. She was big in every sense of the word--tall, broad, thick--and made the whole store feel too small in her wake. 

Lance held onto his smile despite her intimidating appearance, “Do you need help finding anything?”

The woman cracked a smile of her own, and Lance wanted to back away. Were they about to get robbed...?

Two men stepped out from behind her, previously hidden by her large form. The taller one spoke, “We’re here from the Renaissance Festival.”

 _Oh, that’s right. The RenFest’s coming to town._ Apparently Coran had some sort of deal going with a few of the members.

“Let me get Coran. He’s in the back,” Lance said, by way of explanation.

He squeezed past Pidge and jogged to the back room, opening the door and calling out, “Coran! Some RenFest peeps are here for you!”

Coran popped his head from around a stock shelf and smiled, “Wonderful, my boy. I can’t believe it’s that time of year already!”

Lance stepped out of the way to allow Coran though, following him to the front of the store. Pidge was watching their new customers with a critical eye and a customer service smile on her face. Now that Lance had Coran as a barrier between him and the mysterious guests, he could relax enough to get a good look at them.

The large woman with dark-purple-and-pink hair had moved to squat down and look at the collection of Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic cards. The taller man had a more approachable air despite his hair being spiked blue. That was until Lance’s eyes dropped to a long spiked whip hanging from his belt. Lance gulped like a fucking cartoon. Okay, maybe he wasn’t as approachable as Lance had originally thought. The last one--a sullen boy with thick eyebrows and black hair sticking messily into a short ponytail--was poking casually at the back issues near the Kid Flash comics. _He doesn’t look like an Impulse fan. I doubt he even knows what he’s looking at_ , Lance mused.

Coran held out his arms wide, “Welcome to my humble Atomic Comics! What can I do for you today?”

The tall one with blue hair spoke, “We have some tickets to trade.” He gestured to himself then back at his distracted crew, “I’m Regris, that’s Zethrid and the distracted one is Keith-- there’s a whole group of us who are big fans of your store. We were hoping...” He trailed off. This was a yearly trade, so there honestly wasn’t much to discuss. 

“Of course, of course.” Coran turned to Lance. “Fifty-percent off for these wonderful guests. Get them whatever they want.” He turned back to the group. “I have some return-stock to sort through--the elegant life of a comic book store owner, you understand--but Lance here will take care of you. Won’t you, m’boy?”

Lance nodded, eyeing Pidge’s smug smile as she backed away to hide behind the anime soundtracks. 

_Thanks for nothing, Pidge-podge._

“So, anything you’re interested in?” Lance asked as he walked up to the counter.

“Uh, do you have anything Final Fantasy 7?” the blue-haired guy asked… Regris, wasn’t it? Lance opened his mouth, turning slightly to lead the way when Pidge popped out from behind the CDs, grin wide.

“Oh man, _do_ we! We just got in a Sephiroth bust designed by Yoshitaka Amano himself,” Pidge half-lied. They’d had that Sephiroth statue for over a year now. But fresh meat meant moving stale product.

One down, two to go. Lance eyed the big girl warily and cleared his throat, “If you want to see any cards, just let me know.” 

Zethrid grunted in reply, ignoring him as she stared intently through the glass. _All the better_ thought Lance as he turned to the last boy. “Anything you’d like to see? Fifty percent off is half a steal!” he laughed, before clearing his throat at the death glare he received.

“Sorry, bad joke. So what’cha into? Comics? Anime?” He scanned the boy up and down, “ _Dungeons and Dragons_?”

A shake no. 

Awesome. Pidge got Mr. Talkative Final Fantasy Enthusiast and Lance was stuck with Silent and Silent-er. 

“Well, just let me know if you two need anything.” He moved behind the counter again to stamp backboards and slip them into plastic sleeves. 

“Uh, is that Jones Soda?” It was the shorter boy, Keith, who asked. He was half leaning over the counter, staring intently at the fridge. 

“Oh yeah, we specialize in artistic sodas!” Lance winked and abandoned his stamping to stand next to the fridge. “What flavor of Jones do you want?”

The boy looked wide-eyed at the selection. “Whatever has the most caffeine, I guess.”

Lance laughed, “Jones isn’t really known for its caffeine, dude.” He hummed as he scanned their drink selection. “Bawls probably has the most caffeine from our current selection. But I’m telling you, man to man, it does not taste good.”

The raven-haired boy laughed and Lance had to take a moment to himself as the whole world seemed to physically brighten around him. “Oh, he _can_ smile.” Wow. His flirting skills went way down when he actually thought someone was cute.

Keith’s smile melted off his face and he glared sharply at Lance.

“Oh! I didn’t mean to offend! I was just…” Lance ran a hand through his hair, he was always a mess in front of cute boys. “Wait, I have an idea. Stay here.”

Lance threw a smile at Keith before hopping out from behind the counter and running to the back room. He threw a greeting at Coran before diving into a stack of sodas, _There it is._ He picked up the yellow-and-green can and brought it back out with him.

Moments later he walked to the front of the checkout and sat the can of Surge down in front of Keith with a smile. “You like caffeine? Here is the rarest of the rare, a relic from the nineties. This stuff was made illegal for the sugar and caffeine content, you know.” 

Keith raised an eyebrow, “How do you even have this?”

“It’s my personal stash, so I can’t charge you for it. ” Lance shrugged. “But you can have one if you like caffeine that much.”

Wrapping his fingers around the soda can, Keith’s face softened. “Thanks. I appreciate it.” He hesitated a moment, glancing up questioningly. “Is it okay if I drink it now? I only got a couple hours’ sleep.”

“Yeah, dude, be my guest. But fair warning--you’re going to be up for hours after this.”

Keith popped open the tab, fizz bubbling out with a hiss and a crack. “Even better,” he said as he gulped down half the can.

Lance watched Keith’s adam’s apple bob with every swallow. “Can you even taste that? You should savor the flavor of the nineties, dude. Take it slow.”

Keith finally came up for air. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, smearing sticky soda across his face. “I didn’t realize how thirsty I was.” Lance raised a brow, drinking in the sight of Keith’s full lips as his teeth dragged them inward to suck off the syrupy liquid. 

“Yeah,” he hummed softly to himself, “you and me both.”

“What was that?” Keith asked, his tongue darting out to lap up the last of the sweet residue from his russet lips.

“Nothing. I just…. Nevermind.” Lance laughed loudly and walked back behind the counter, putting space between himself and the cute RenFest boy.

The large woman stood up, dwarfing the whole store as she reached her full height. “Where are the kids’ comics?”

Lance pointed to a corner by the door. “By the toys, under the My Little Pony poster.”

She nodded and walked away.

Keith hovered over the counter, looking at the colorful dice with a bored look. The silence was heavy between them. Lance hated customers who weren’t geeky enough to hold a conversation. Soda customers were the worst, no matter how cute. Lance put Keith on his “not my type” list--if you can’t speak geek, then you’re not my kink. 

Pidge walked over with Regris in tow, and an insufferable grin on her face. “Regris here is going to get the Sephiroth bust and the moogle plush. Can you box Sephie for me?”

Lance nodded, taking the bust from Pidge’s hands and saluting. “Aye aye, Pidgeon.”

He turned and squatted down in the middle of the customer’s subscription boxes and looked in horror at the pile of empty statue boxes. Sighing, he got to work, setting Sephiroth down with a quiet, “Wait here, buddy. I’ll find your home soon.” He knelt down and picked up boxes in succession, throwing the castoffs behind him until he found the one that matched. 

Lance caught Keith’s eye as he popped up from behind the counter, those video game hero eyes darting back down at the dice he was ostensibly surveying. _Hmm, maybe I could make_ one _exception to the geek-speak rule._

He flashed a smile at Pidge and handed over the box. _Ah, it’s so nice to get rid of statues_. Coran was always on them--upsell, upsell, upsell!--but Lance hated pressuring people to spend money on things they didn’t really want or need. He could do it, but he really tried not to, especially since he knew some of their customers’ financial situations. Kinda hard to ask a person to drop hundreds on a statue when you knew they were helping pay for their dad’s chemo, or working off a hundred thousand in college debt in a dead-end job. 

Pidge on the other hand? Pidge could sell a blind man glasses and feel proud of herself. 

“Excuse me.” Lance turned to see Zethrid approaching with a stack of comics in her hands, “I’d like to get these.” 

Lance nodded and grabbed the stack. “Oh, Voltron! Very nice. And this reboot of Ms. Marvel is my favorite,” Lance said idly as he scanned in the barcodes. “I didn’t like Ms. Marvel much before, but I’m all about good representation, you know?” 

“Oh, me too,” Zethrid said. “As a woman into comics, I try to support the ones that treat us well.”

“Then you definitely picked out some good ones.” Lance winked, shooting her an easy smile. She was a big girl, but “ _I like a big girl, I like ‘em sassy_ ” Lance singsonged Macklemore in his head. And she could geek speak, so all his bases were covered. 

He bagged up Zethrid’s comics and handed them over with her receipt. “Enjoy reading. And come back so we can gush over Ms. Marvel together!” 

“Yeah, I will,” she said with a wide smile. 

When she moved away from the counter, Lance was surprised to see Keith standing across from him, candy bar in hand. He looked a bit like he’d eaten something sour, a half-frown tensing his features.

“You’re... gonna spend your fifty-percent off on a candy bar?”

“I feel bad coming here and only getting free soda,” Keith replied, handing over the chocolate and Lance picked it out of his hand without thought. His fingers brushed Keith’s palm briefly, skin feather light against skin.

Lance gasped in shock, dropping the candy bar and yanking his hand backward with enough force that he bumped into the soda fridge at his back. 

“Ow! What the hell?” Lance looked down at his fingers, raking his eyes over their entire surface, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Two seconds ago he felt like his hand was touching molten lava, but his fingers showed no sign of redness or blistering, and the pain had faded as quickly as it came. 

“What’s wrong?” Keith looked at him in surprise.

“Uh, sorry.” Lance threw on his best retail smile. He noticed everyone staring at him, and Pidge starting to creep closer, eyeing his fingers. “I think I got shocked is all.” He laughed as he finished ranging up the candy bar, phantom pain still throbbing under the surface.

Regris left a stack of tickets with Pidge, thanking them for their hospitality. All the while he felt Keith staring at him, glimpsing it from the corner of his eye. The trio didn’t stay much longer, Zethrid shoving them toward the door. Keith gave a shy wave goodbye, confusion creasing his brow. 

“So, what just happened?” Pidge pushed square frames up her nose.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lance turned back to their abandoned stack of backboard and single-issue comics waiting to be priced. 

“You screamed bloody murder and then expect me to believe you got shocked? Please. Was there a spider and you were just too scared to tell him?” 

“No, there wasn’t a spider.” Lance rolled his eyes. “God, scream once about a black widow in the Sandman trades and you never live it down. It just... kinda burned when I touched him. Boy must be full of so much static. Oh, maybe he’s a mutant!”

Pidge quirked an eyebrow. “Shocks don’t burn, they shock. That’s why it’s called getting _shocked_.”

Lance sighed, looking at the comic in his hand and avoiding Pidge’s gaze. “It was weird okay? It felt like he was on fire. I’m telling you, the guy’s probably a mutant. Next thing we know, Professor Xavier is gonna walk through that door.”

Pidge nodded slowly, eyebrows furrowed, “Yeah, sure Lance. Live your dreams. He’s an X-Men.”

“Oh god, wouldn’t that be so nice?” Lance asked, leaning back against the soda fridge, happy to change the subject once more. “Gambit was my first boy crush, you know.”

Pidge snorted. “Gambit is everyone’s first boy crush, Lance.” 

“Nuh uh. I bet some people liked Harry.” 

Pidge squinted her eyes at him. “...Potter?”

Lance let out a long suffering sigh. “ _Styles_. Like, from One Direction?” 

“Is that one of your not-video-game-music bands?” Pidge asked, absently arranging a display of flyers on the corner of the countertop.

Lance sighed, “Yes, Pidge. You can sometimes live in the real world, y’know.”

“Hard pass.” 

The door chimed, interrupting their banter again. A man walked in, his eyes shifting around the store and his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

“Welcome to Atomic Comics!” Lance called cheerily as he shifted himself around the glass display case. The man gave him a nervous smile, eyes flitting to Pidge and back to Lance.

“Uh, it’s my nephew’s birthday and he wants,” He looked over at Pidge again, this time staying trained on the girl. “a blue lion or a red lion robot. Do you have any?”

“We might,” Lance reassured him with a strained smile. He nodded his head toward the kid’s comics where they kept the toys, gesturing for the customer to follow him.

“Can’t she help me?” The customer gestured toward Pidge with his chin. 

“Oh, uh...” Lance looked back at Pidge who flashed him a warning look. Lance nodded. “Sorry, she’s in the middle of calling other stores for a different customer, right now.”

Pidge quickly pulled a black cordless phone from her back pocket and speed-dialed their sister store on Lance’s cue.

The man looked upset and Lance worried he was going to argue. Thankfully, he sighed and resigned himself to Lance’s care. 

The blue lion was still in stock and Lance handed the box to the customer. 

“Thanks. Guess I’ll take it,” the man mumbled.

Lance felt like screaming, but he plastered a smile on his face. “Awesome, need anything else?

“No, just this.”

“Okay, I can ring you up if you’re ready.”

“Yeah, I’m ready.” The man turned to walk back to the counter, making a beeline for where Pidge was standing. 

Pidge turned her back, scanning the DVD wall and raised her voice. “Yeah, doesn’t look like we have volume three at all, are you sure you checked the back?”

Lance was ready to throw this guy out at the drop of a hat, but the customer stomped up to an empty register and Lance slid behind the counter to meet him.

Aiming at the barcode with a clunky plastic scanner, he absentmindedly went through the motions of checking out. “That’ll be $21.75. Did you want a bag?”

 _Shit. Why in the name of the Almighty Sarlacc did you just ask that? Please don’t want a bag, please don’t want a bag, please don’t want a bag_. 

“Yeah, a bag would be perfect,” the man replied. “It’s raining a bit.” 

The smile didn’t waver from Lance’s face. _Double shit_. The only bags they really had were small yellow ones, only slightly bigger than a comic book. Nowhere near large enough for the boxy toy. And he _definitely_ wanted this customer out of his store as fast as humanly possible. 

_Just peachy._

The man passed a debit card over and Lance scanned it on the keyboard, waiting for the ancient computer to process and silently cursing his automated response-- _‘did you want a bag?’, are you an idiot, Lance?_ \--polite smile plastered across his features. “Okay give me a second to go grab you one. The bags we have up front are too small.” He passed the card back with the receipt and a pen. “Just sign here.”

“Sure,” he said gruffly, snatching the items from Lance’s grasp.

Lance turned and sprinted-- _professionally_ \--to the back room. He’d personally given away the last of the spare bags the plushies came in during yesterday’s rush. Maybe there was something left to scrounge up? Lance yelped as he almost collided into Pidge as she exited to the backroom, brandishing a giant plastic swag bag from Ace Con. She held it to his face with a wry grin, and Lance smiled gratefully. 

“Thanks for taking the creep for me. Now get him out of here ” Pidge said through a clenched smile.

Lance snatched the bag out of Pidge’s hand, saluting. “Will do!” He turned back, weaving through the trades and making his way to the register. He bagged the toy as fast as he could and handed it over the counter. 

“Have a good day. I hope your nephew likes it.” 

“Yeah, sure.” The man exited without looking back. 

Both workers sighed a breath of relief. 

Pidge nudged him with her elbow, “Thanks, man. The way he looked at me when he asked if I could help him...” Pidge shuddered. “Nope.”

“No worries. He was super weird, even I could tell. Red flags everywhere.”

“Right? Why would he ask for me if he was just looking for a toy? _Gross._ ”

“Makes me glad I’m not a girl in a comic book shop.” 

“Thanks a lot,” Pidge deadpanned.

They had finally finished pricing the box of comics when Coran came out to let one of them off early. Rainy days were too slow. Lance won rock-paper-scissors and left the two to close shop. He grabbed his backpack and waved goodbye to Pidge, who stuck out her tongue at his retreating form. He gestured back in sarcastic appreciation of her less-than-enthusiastic farewell. 

Lance squeezed himself into his banged-up Honda and made his way home. Rain was a rarity, but when it did happen it never lasted long. Lance’s windshield wipers weren’t prepared for a day of constant drizzling, compromised by a summer of oppressive heat and then totally unused since August. He squinted through the giant drops, going ten under the speed limit like everyone else. If there was one thing he couldn't do, it was drive in rain.

Somehow Lance made it home safe and sound. He ran inside, using his backpack as an umbrella. Lance was weak; water such a foreign concept, and he much preferred to watch the rain from inside where he was safe and dry.

“Lance? That you?” a voice called from the living room. Faint sounds from the TV droned lowly.

“Yeah, mami. I’ll be in my room.”

Lance went down the hall to the last door, and shoved it open with his hip. Throwing his backpack in a corner, he pushed the door shut with his foot and immediately flopped backward onto his bed. 

He held the offending fingers close to his face, examining each tip as he thought of the earlier exchange. He could have sworn they’d been burned, seared from the touch of the hot RenFest guy. But there they were, just like normal, with no burn in sight. He sighed and dropped his hand to cover his eyes.

That’s how he fell asleep--to burning thoughts of Keith, chocolate bars, and dumb soda flavors. 

Lance stood in the middle of a vast forest, trees crowding in on every side. He was distantly aware that he was dreaming. It was an odd sensation, like he was both watching a movie and inside it, a spectator and an actor all at once. He watched himself from a far, and stood as himself. Lance didn’t really _look_ like himself though, a point which didn’t seem to bother him in the stupor of the dream. 

His pointy ears, shell crown, and long robe all seemed natural and familiar, just like the forest he stood in. The only unnatural thought, tugging in his chest, was the compulsion to run. And so he ran. He followed an invisible thread that pulled at his heart.

Sure feet padded quietly in the soft grass of the forest. He knew exactly where he was headed, though unsure of his destination. 

The forest seemed to run along with him, encouraging him on, pushing him forward. But the moon pressed down on him, full and heavy. The bright light helped him find the footpath in front of him. And yet the moon seemed to urge him to stop, holding him back, weighing down on him. 

He started to sweat. The push and pull between the forest, moon, and his heart grew more exhausting with each step.

Suddenly his world filled with red. A pillar of fire, a burning flame, stood directly in his path. He squinted through the bright light and noticed an outline of a person. The person was on fire. No, the person _was_ fire. 

Lance pushed past thick vines of thorny bramble. The long needles ripped at his clothes, pulled at his crown, scratched his skin. He looked down to see his own worn tennis shoes superimposed over bare feet as he stumbled over the knotted bramble. It was like double vision, his dream self blending with his waking consciousness, blurring the lines between dream and reality.

The moon pressed closer, as if slowly falling. The huge orb drooped, an omen that filled the whole sky. Something in the back of his head screamed that he needed to make it before the moon. He must be the first to reach Keith. 

_Wait, Keith?_ Why was he dreaming about a boy he’d just met? 

Lance reached out, so close to the flame, now, that he could feel the heat against his skin. So close that he could see a face in the flames. It was a carbon copy of that strange boy whose skin had burned him in the waking world. He reached out, desperate, grasping.

He touched an outstretched hand, Keith reaching out to him in tandem. The moment they touched Lance’s whole body was engulfed in the blaze. Black hair and purple eyes were seared into his soul. Steam rose where they touched, boiling him, boiling his skin off, burning, burning. He was dying, and the moon watched him burn as it fell.

Blue eyes whipped open, and it took a moment for Lance to realize that he was screaming. Panting, he fumbled through the darkness for his bedside lamp. Sweat slicked fingers slipped on the switch; it took several tries before the light flicked on. In the harsh glare of the lamp he looked down on himself, fully expecting to see blistered and burnt skin. The smell of cooked flesh still filled his nose. His chest heaved below him, his body soaked in sweat, but Lance's skin was smooth and unharmed. Shaky hands ran over his frame, checking for any abnormalities. 

It was all a dream, not real, Lance tried to convince himself. Bile prickled at the back of his throat as the smell turned his stomach, and nausea overtook him. He threw off the covers and sprinted to the bathroom. He had barely a second to lift the lid before he was vomiting into the bowl. His skin was still hot, and everything burned. He heaved once more, body still on fire. 

“What the hell was that?” Lance’s low rasp echoed in the bathroom. “There’s no way that was a normal dream. What even _was_ that?”

Lance flushed the toilet with one hand and shakily pulled himself up with the other. It felt like the fire was inside of him, trying to burn its way out. He leaned against the wall, between toilet and shower, and turned on the water. 

He stuck a tentative hand under the shower, it was ice cold, he turned to nob until it was luke-warm. He stripped out of his sweat-drenched clothes and stepped inside. 

Lance let the water run over his head and slowly ease the burning. When he blinked, purple irises stared back at him behind closed lids. He shook his head, water spraying out around him. 

“It was just a dream. It wasn’t real. Just a dream.” Lance repeated the words like a mantra.

After what seemed like a few minutes, but which ended up being nearly two hours, Lance turned off the water and stepped out. The shower calmed him down enough that he was convinced the odd vision was some sort of super nightmare, an evolution of a normal nightmare brought on by the inclement weather. But still just a dream. 

With steady hands, Lance set out to complete a full face-care routine, including night mask. There was no way he’d look good after a nightmare-shower without a little extra help. He smoothed the mask over his skin, rubbing the excess into his neck. The familiar motions of his routine easing the last of his frazzled nerves. 

_I should ask Pidge about it. She’s into weird shit. Maybe she’d know what it means._

Checking his face one last time to make sure the mask was perfectly smooth, he cleaned up his mess and made his way back to bed. Slipping into his sweat-dampened sheets, he closed his eyes. _Maybe Pidge’d just think I’m crazy, though. Better not tell anyone, right?_

Lance nodded to himself. Pidge was pretty cool, but this weirdness was probably too much for _anyone_. No it was better to keep this to himself.

He closed his eyes as he slipped his noise-canceling headphones over his ears. Lance fell into a troubled sleep. No further nightmares of the burning boy plagued him, but he couldn’t escape the heavy presence of a too-close moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *ugly crying* it's done! it's finally done and it's here and it's POSTED! You can expect this to have a weekly release with 7 chapters and an epilogue. <3
> 
> The Klance Reverse Bang was my first Bang and I had so much fun working with my artist [Mikah!](http://mikahfricz-art.tumblr.com/) and my wonderful beta [Starbuck7!](https://starbuck-7.tumblr.com/) Our team worked really hard to make this fic come to life!! Even the Chapter Titles will create a poem I made specifically for this fic because I'm _that_ extra. [I have a Tumblr!!!](http://yuzuling.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Quick side note: Atomic Comics was a real comic book store that I worked at. You may have heard of it from the movie KickAss which they based on the actual Atomic Comics. (We even got shirts that said "Atomic Comics is KickAss" after the movie release) This comic book store has, unfortunately, gone out of business. Because it is no longer a real store, and now only a fictional store in a movie, I decided to use the name for my fic. No characters are representative of any customers that actually shopped at Atomic or any employees who worked there. Everyone represented here are works of fiction borrowed from Voltron and placed in the Atomic Comics setting.


	2. Twice, Replies the Nymph so Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith POV
> 
> Wherein Keith has a dream and Pidge has a stalker.

Keith splashed his face with cold water from the sink, freezing drips running down his neck and wetting his sleeping shirt. He heaved a breath and swallowed, squinting his eyes with a shake of his head. The dream last night was disturbing in its own regard, and it brought with it flashbacks to his time in the orphanage. It took him back to cramped rooms, uncaring faces, and nightmare-poisoned sleep that made him scream out in the darkness. Except today he didn’t have Shiro close at hand to comfort him in his dream-addled state. Keith scrubbed harshly at his face, cleaning the horror away with his sweat. 

Five years. It’d been five years since one of these nightmares had invaded his sleep. Why were they back? He wrenched the towel from its spot on the wall, and rubbed his face dry. The terrycloth scratched roughly at the soft skin of his face.

Luck was on his side today. Keith was back in his hometown. If his dreams were to return, the two months of the year he could go visit Shiro was as close to a ‘good time’ as he could hope for. Keith stopped rubbing and looked critically at the dull mirror. On second thought, maybe it was _because_ he was back in his hometown that the nightmares started plaguing him again. 

Keith sighed and threw the towel next to the sink. There wasn’t much for him to do as a Player until the RenFair started. He peeked out of the bathroom and called down the short trailer, “Hey Regris, I’m going to head to the gym. Need anything while I’m out?” 

A groan answered him from the pile of blankets on the top bunk. 

Keith let a small smile slip, a blessed reprieve from the dark thoughts. Regris and mornings did not get along. “Then I’ll be back in a few hours.”

A muffled sleepy croak answered, “Shut up and leave already.”

Keith did a half bow. “Yes, your _Highness_.”

A worn pillow flew across the small space, right for Keith’s head. “Just go!” It missed him by an inch.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going.” Keith knocked on the door frame as he left, his old habit. Unsure when or where he picked up the habit, Keith did it all the same. Like some OCD good luck charm. “Good night, Regris.” A loud groan followed him out. 

The city had dedicated land to house the Renaissance Festival, which had led to one of the largest such events in the country. The last one he’d done was just a large-ish field with impromptu tents, tiny in comparison. Keith much preferred big cities like this one, with their big festivals. 

He wove through the park, trying remember which way lead him off the grounds. In reality, the whole venue formed a giant circle. One way or another Keith would make it out, but if he went the wrong way it would cost him an extra fifteen minutes. The place was massive, but Keith thought he knew it better than this. His brain wasn’t cooperating, probably muddled from the stress of the dream. Unable to get his bearings, Keith felt as if something pulled him to the left. Trusting the feeling, Keith wound his way past the giant green patch, grimacing as his eyes locked on an unwelcome sight.

_Shit. Why did it have to be Sendak? ___

__Sendak hunched over a small fire and looked at his hand intently. Smoke was drifting from his palm and slowly swirling toward Keith. It smelled rough and warm. He held his scarf up to his nose to cover the scent. Suddenly, Sendak followed the line of smoke and looked straight at Keith with barely disguised surprise. _Strange._ Keith put on a tight smile and waved at the man as he approached. _ _

__“Hey, Sen.”_ _

__Sendak looked down at his hand again and smiled. It wasn’t friendly. “Keith.” It came out as a hiss._ _

__Danger alarms went off in his head and Keith wanted to run, but he pushed the feeling down. _Sendak is just a weird guy, that’s all._ He could see, now, some sort of green powder that the large man was cupping in his palm. Sendak noticed Keith staring and threw the stuff into the fire. The fire crackled and spit at the contact before settling back down. _ _

__“Keith. Where are you headed?”_ _

__“Just going to visit a friend in town. I’ll be back to help later.” He itched to leave, backing up a pace._ _

__Sendak’s smile cut across his face like a knife. “Today is a busy day, Keith. You should stay. We could use the help.”_ _

__Shaking his head no, Keith retreated a step. Why did his stupid gut have to pick this direction in the first place? Sendak was one _creepy_ ass mofo. “Sorry today is the only day he’s free, so I gotta go. I’ll make it up to everyone later.”_ _

__A shadow passed over Sendak’s face. “Of course Keith. Be sure to come back before dark. The desert is dangerous at night.”_ _

__Keith nodded and picked up his pace, trying to get as far from Sendak as possible. “Yeah, sure. I’ll do my best.”_ _

__The strange feeling gradually lifted, and Keith finally calmed down as he exited the fairgrounds._ _

__It took awhile to drive from the campsite back into town, and the view didn’t help his boredom. Long endless freeway lined with rocks was the only thing to look at. Only a sad tree or a lonely bush broke up the monotony of beige as he sped past. This place hadn’t changed much since he left. Stores had opened and closed--his favorite mom and pop Mexican restaurant had turned into a quick loan store--but other than that everything felt the same. Actually, the quick loan stores seemed to be everywhere now._ _

__He pulled into the shopping complex and circled around in an attempt to find one of the few coveted parking spots under thin trees. He found one a bit far from his destination, but at least it was some shade. The run-down plaza only boasted three attractions: a gym on one side, a giant used bookstore in the middle, and the comic book store nestled at the other end of the complex._ _

__Keith turned off his car and made his way across the hot parking lot. Waves of heat created mirages on the asphalt and he could already feel his shirt sticking to his back. It was only February but summer was creeping in. Keith couldn’t believe actually _wanted_ to live here. The heat wasn’t the only reason he left, but it was up there on his list._ _

__He used his shirt to open the metal door, but the handle still burned through the cotton. A blast of cold air carried the scent of sweat and cleaner as he opened the door. The bliss of frigid air conditioning rushed over him. There was nothing like being hot down to your bones and stepping into the winter chill of desert buildings._ _

__Keith tapped his gym card on the scanner and entered with a nod from the bored attendant. It didn’t take long to find Shiro, talking casually with a large guy around the corner by the free weights. He stepped in, just within earshot. “Hey.”_ _

__Shiro looked up, confusion lacing his features as he looked around for the source of the voice. His eyes grew wide and his smile followed suit. “Keith! What are you doing here?” Shiro put his weights back on the rack and took two long strides before enveloping Keith in a sweaty, too-warm hug._ _

__“It’s so good to see you.” Shiro stepped back but didn’t let go. “Oh sorry, I’m gross.”_ _

__“No, it’s okay.” Keith let a shy smile lift his lips, “It’s good to see you, too. Not looking too shabby either.” Keith fake punched Shiro’s bicep._ _

__A hearty chuckle rumbled from Shiro’s chest, shaking his shoulders lightly, “Well, I can’t let my arm hold me back, right?”_ _

__Keith’s smile faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly. The accident was a long time ago, and Shiro had long forgiven Keith’s part in it._ _

__A cough interrupted them. Shiro started and looked apologetically behind him. “Sorry, Hunk. Keith this is Hunk. He works here and does sessions with me. Hunk, this is my little brother Keith.”_ _

__Keith blushed slightly at the endearment. He wasn’t always sure where he stood with people, but with Shiro it was always almost embarrassingly clear. “It’s nice to meet you.” He held out his hand to be engulfed by Hunk’s._ _

__“Howzit? What brings you to town?”_ _

__“Oh, uh, I travel with the Renaissance Festival.” Keith shrugged, trying to hide how painful the handshake was. Hunk was strong._ _

__“That’s right. It’s already February, huh?” Shiro mused._ _

__Keith nodded. “Yeah. Thought I might find you here. Glad you’re so predictable.”_ _

__“Hey! What does that mean?” Shiro laughed and brought a sweaty arm around Keith’s neck in a headlock, prosthetic ruffling his hair._ _

__“Nothing!” Keith wriggled, struggling to get away from Shiro’s armpit, “You’re just as predictable as...Uh, something really predictable.”_ _

__“Wow, good one,” Shiro deadpanned._ _

__Keith squiarmed out of Shiro’s grasp and shoved him playfully. “Whatever.”_ _

__Hunk chimed in with a smile, “But you are kinda predictable.” Keith smirked._ _

__Shiro pushed him back and threw a look over at Hunk. “I’m not that bad.”_ _

__“Hmm, maybe,” Hunk singsonged. “Speaking of predictable, we should all go to the Faire together. Maybe bring my crew?”_ _

__“That sounds like a plan, Hunk. We can watch my little bro and his knives.”_ _

__Hunk’s eyes lit up and he whistled lowly, “I think I’d go just to see that.” His stomach growled, interrupting them. “Woah, I guess I’m hungrier than I thought. I think I’ll run to Cheba Hut and eat it over at Atomic. Did you want me to pick you guys up anything?”_ _

__“No, I think I'm okay.” Shiro and Keith shook their heads in unison. He was hungry, but there was no way he was going to accept food if Shiro said no._ _

__“Okay. Then I’ll catch you guys later.” Hunk’s face turned serious and he pointed at both of them. “I’m serious about the RenFair. We should all go together!”_ _

__“We will,” Shiro promised, waving goodbye. Once Hunk was through the doors he turned to Keith. “Well since you’re here, why don’t you work out with me?”_ _

__Keith nodded and tilted his head to the bag on his arm. “Let me change and I’ll meet you at the machines?”_ _

__“Sounds good.” Shiro smiled. “I’ll finish my reps meet you there.”_ _

__Keith nodded and headed to the changing room. It only took a few minutes before he was back on the floor and planning his circuit._ _

__He was a few minutes into his routine when Shiro hopped on the machine next to him. Keith watched from the corner of his eye as Shiro set to work. “So... what really brings you here?” Shiro asked as he worked his thighs._ _

__“Oh uh,” Keith blushed a bit. Hunk had thrown him off and he’d completely forgotten that he had come here for a reason. “I... had a nightmare last night. And I thought maybe you could...” he trailed off._ _

__Shiro looked a bit surprised. “They came back?”_ _

__Keith nodded, eyes focused in front of him._ _

__“Hm. Well, I don’t have my book with me. But I could try to reason it out with you.”_ _

__Keith nodded his head again. It was just like in the orphanage, Shiro’s cool head trying to make sense of his nightmares, to pull them out into the daylight and change them into something safe._ _

__“It was like I was made out of fire. But I wasn’t burning, it was just warm. Kinda nice, actually. Then someone was running at me but I couldn’t move. They stopped in front of me and I reached out to them.” Keith paused his movements, not sure how much he wanted to say about the boy in his dream._ _

___Best to just brush over it._ _ _

__“It was like I was drawn to them. And then they touched me and they looked like they were in a lot of pain. I don’t know. It sort of all melted after that and the sun started burning everything, and _that_ volcano was back. It was sort of in the background.” Keith paused with a sigh. “That’s all I can really remember.”_ _

__“The same volcano, huh? You remember what that means, right?”_ _

__“Yeah. It had the same feeling as it used to, too.”_ _

__Shiro hummed and got up to switch machines. “Well, how did you feel about the person running at you? Were you scared?”_ _

__“No, it was more like... I was drawn to them. If I could have, I think I would have run to them too.”_ _

__“And they were only in pain when you touched?”_ _

__“Yeah.”_ _

__“Maybe it’s your fear of connecting with people? Scared that they might react badly. Was there someone you wanted to get to know better but didn’t?”_ _

__Keith winced, he didn’t know how Shiro always got so spot on with his dream analysis. “There might have been.”_ _

__Shiro made a low noise in his throat, an almost chuckle. “And what about the sun? Did it make you happy?”_ _

__Keith shook his head, “It was scary. It felt like it was trying to consume the world. Oh, yeah! There was the moon, too. Before, when the person was there.”_ _

__“How did you feel about the moon?”_ _

__Keith thought back to the dream, trying to pull the vague feelings into focus. “About the same as the sun, like it wanted something from me. Like it was going to consume.”_ _

__“That’s weird, it doesn’t really line up with the meaning of the sun and moon. But maybe there’s something you’re hiding from yourself that you’re worried about, that would be the moon. And there's something that should make you happy that’s bringing you pain? Sorry, this one is tough.”_ _

__“No worries. Thanks for talking it out with me.” Keith felt the knot in his stomach unravel. “I’ll try to think about it later, see if there’s a connection, like you said.” Making sense of his weird dreams always made it feel like the nightmares had less power over him._ _

__~*~_ _

__A bag of sandwiches tucked carefully under his arm, Hunk used the sleeve of his hoodie to open the door to Atomic Comics. February mornings were cold, but the afternoons were summery. Spring was already on its way out and triple digits were right around the corner. He used his hip to bump the door open as it closed midway on him, giving himself more time to make it through the entrance._ _

__“Welcome to Atomic Comics,” voices called from various corners. A quick scan of the small store found Lance in the manga section talking a girl into buying what looked like a new Boys’ Love novel. Pidge stood by the single-issues, mindlessly straightening the already pristine wall. A tall man with a slim build and purple hair styled in odd spikes followed her as she made her way around, talking in a loud voice._ _

__It was odd for Pidge not to be engaging with customers who were so into comics. Hunk furrowed his brow. Something was definitely off. The tall man told another joke and Pidge smiled thinly. Yep, something very wrong._ _

__He held up his offering as he walked toward the girl and the customer. “Hey, Pidge! Brought you some Cheba Hut.”_ _

__Pidge looked up from her straightening, relief washing over her face. “Hunk! You’re a lifesaver!” she called, and turned to the customer. “Sorry, Haxus. Lunch break.”_ _

__“You don’t need to eat that. Let me take you out for lunch. My treat,” Haxus said, leaning his long body closer to Pidge._ _

__Hunk put an arm around Pidge and stepped lightly between them, creating a physical barrier. “Here’s your sandwich. No pickles, extra cheese.” Haxus took a step back, frown forming on his face._ _

__“Sorry, Haxus. I already paid for my lunch.” Her smile showed too many teeth as she grabbed the bag._ _

__Pidge yelled across the store, “Taking my lunch!”_ _

__Lance held a thumbs up over his head and Pidge followed the gentle push of Hunk’s hand. Hunk kept his body between Haxus and his friend as they walked._ _

__“I’ll be back tomorrow,” Haxus said and stormed out of the store._ _

__“You don’t have to, really,” Hunk said under his breath. Pidge snorted and sent him a thankful smile._ _

__He made his way across the store to where Lance now had the girl at the register, five mangas stacked high of Boys’ Love and Yaoi. Lance made quick work of the checkout and sent the girl away._ _

__“Nerds are so goddamn cute.” Lance smiled, looking up at Hunk. “Especially the ones who aren’t shy about their kinks.”_ _

__Hunk set Lance’s sandwich bag down on the counter and shook his head, “Some guy was bothering Pidge.”_ _

__“I saw. He was here yesterday trying to buy Voltron Lions and then again today for almost _two hours_.” Lance frowned. “Right, Pidge?” _ _

__Pidge nodded, mouth full of toasted sandwich._ _

__“I would have sent her to the back, but we were swamped ‘til just now. It’s so dumb that Coran won’t ban him unless he does something wrong.” Lance threw his hands in the air. “It’ll be too late by that time!”_ _

__Pidge waved emphatically along with Lance._ _

__Hunk made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat. “I don’t get it. Isn’t it better to kick them out _before_ they try something, not _after_?”_ _

__Pidge swallowed and nodded. “Yeah but, like, seventy percent of our customers are creeps in one way or another. It’s hard to pin down the socially awkward creeps from the dangerous creeps.” She took a small bit and continued with her mouth full. “I asked him about that Haxus creeper yesterday when he gave me a ride home and he said, ‘if we kick them all out there won’t be any customers left’.” Pidge rolled her eyes._ _

__Hunk’s frown deepend, “I’m pretty sure Haxus falls under dangerous.”_ _

__“I won’t lie, I think you’re right. But I’ve only heard of around three dudes getting banned from here. I don’t think it’ll happen unless he tries something,” Lance said with a heavy sigh as he dug in the bag trying to find his sandwich._ _

__Hunk sighed. He didn’t work here, it wasn’t his place. “I’m going to used the toilet.”_ _

__“Can you bring napkins from the back room too?” Lance called out to Hunk’s back._ _

__“And some forks,” Pidge chimed in, licking her fingers._ _

__Hunk came back with a bundle of napkins and forks. They all spread their sandwiches out, picking off toppings and sharing them._ _

__“I worked out with Shiro today,” Hunk said around a mouthful. “His brother’s in town and we thought it would be cool to go to the RenFair together. What do y’say?”_ _

__Pidge giggled. “How’s President’s Day?”_ _

__“Isn’t that a Monday? I might have work.”_ _

__“We have free tickets for President’s Day only. So Pidge is just trying to be cheap about it.” Lance waved off the suggestion._ _

__Hunk scratched his chin, “Well, I can check the schedule. See if Shiro is free on Monday.”_ _

__“Oh! We should all dress up!” Pidge exclaimed, bouncing on her toes._ _

__“Dress up? Like old-school-Robin-Hood dress up?”_ _

__Pidge nodded emphatically and practically shouted, “Yes! I have a sewing machine and just enough sewing knowledge to be dangerous. _And_ maybe you can see your cute RenFair boy.” She looked over to Lance, wiggling her eyebrows._ _

__“He’s not my cute RenFair boy,” Lance grumbled._ _

__“Sure seemed like it.” Pidge nudged him, sharp smile on her face._ _

__“He burned me, or shocked me or something. No thanks.” Lance snapped his fingers. “That’s probably what made me have that weird dream.”_ _

__“Oh God, not a dream story,” Pidge whined. “Dreams are so boring.”_ _

__“No but it was super weird. I was, uh, running I think? Through a forest or something. And there was this fire demon and for some reason I touched it and it burned me really bad. It hurt so much in the dream I woke up.” Lance paused for a moment before adding. “Oh, and there was a moon.”_ _

__“Just a moon? Doing what?”_ _

__“Doing what a moon does. Just in the sky n’shit.” Lance waved it off with a flip of his hand._ _

__“Well, if we’re all sharing boring dreams, then my dream was awesome because it was pretty much Sailor Moon and I was Jupiter.” Pidge crumpled the paper scattered with crumbs. “I fell asleep watching Sailor Moon Crystal again. I gotta stop that.”_ _

__“I think I dreamed about a mountain?” Hunk chimed in. “It was nice.”_ _

__“Oh God! The dream talk has hit an ultimate low. We should have stopped after my Sailor Moon dream. No one could beat that.”_ _

__“You are the pinnacle of interesting dream stories, Pidge,” Lance said, rolling his eyes. “The rest of us mere mortals could only hope to achieve your dream status.”_ _

__“And don’t forget it.”_ _

__Hunk snorted as he chimed in, “But you’re not tall enough to be Jupiter.”_ _

__“Fuck you. I can fight like her. _Better_ than her, even.”_ _

__“I want to be Mercury. She’s so hot,” Lance said, dreamy eyed._ _

__“ _Please._ You’re either Moon or Venus. There’s no way you could be Mercury. Hunk is Mercury.” Pidge pointed with her head._ _

__Hunk put on a shy smile. “Leave me out of this. I don’t think I’ve even seen this show.”_ _

__Lance gasped. “Hunk, you’re fired. Out of the store, now!”_ _

__“Sorry, Hunk. I second that. You’re banned.” Pidge pat Hunks shoulder as if to console him._ _

__“You’re going to ban me but not Mr. Creeper! I see how this friendship is!” Hunk pouted. “I even bought you sandwiches.”_ _

__“Well,” Lance began, pretending to think it over. “I guess since you bought us sandwiches I might be able to forgive you. What do you think Pidge?”_ _

__“Just this once. But you’re on thin ice, buddy!” Pidge smiled and threw her crumpled paper at Hunk._ _

__“Gee, thanks guys. I knew you valued my friendship.” Hunk picked up the paper and threw it back._ _

__“Okay that’s enough.” Lance held out his arms. “I’m the one that has to clean today.”_ _

__“Fine. We’ll continue this on game night.” Pidge smirked and threw the crumpled ball in the trash behind the register._ _

__“Oh, yeah! I almost forgot about game night. I’ll bring pizza. But I gotta get back to the gym, catch you guys later?” Hunk said, squeezing by the back issues to head out._ _

__“Yeah, see you tomorrow! Thanks for the grub.” Lance waved._ _

__Hunk waved over his shoulder as the door dinged his departure._ _

__Lance shoved Pidge with his shoulder. “You have a crush!”_ _

__“Shut up!” Pidge shoved him back before both of them broke down into giggles._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the late post, this week will have two chapter to make up for missing last week. I was moving last week and it was hell. But here is chapter two! Chapter 3 will be out tomorrow!!  
> Let me know what you guys think!!! I crave comments and kudos, they are what keep me writing! Also to everyone who doesn't comment, know I love your shy faces and appreciate you just as much. I write to entertain you wonderful beans, so I'm just happy to have people reading my stuff!
> 
> Super thanks to my beta Starbuck7 <33 Always a pleasure to work with you. Idk what I'd do with out you!
> 
>  
> 
> [Come hit me up on Tumblr! ](http://yuzuling.tumblr.com/)


	3. Once Entranced, the Fae Beguiled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Moon can talk, but of course it only talks nonsense.

Darkness cast outward in every direction, but the Moon hung bright in the sky. The moonbeams stretched downward, never reaching the ground, the darkness pressing upward and fighting back at the risen Moon’s advances. Lance squinted into the gleaming rays. This dream was different than the last--the Moon was here, but where was the forest? The man on fire? 

Floating from the Moon, a figure of a woman with long silver hair fell towards him. She was backlit and he couldn’t seem to make out her face. She was falling so slowly, white dress billowing out around her, filling the whole sky in her descent. Was she the Moon? 

“Help me.”

The voice was familiar, so very familiar. It was nostalgic. It tickled at a corner of Lance’s mind. He’d heard this voice before, calling out to him for as long as he could remember. 

“You must help me,” the woman said again, voice like bells ringing at midnight. 

“Help you what?” Lance asked.

“You must help me. You must.”

“Help you _what_? I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what I’m supposed to do!” Lance almost wished for the burning dreams instead. At least those were interesting.

The woman didn’t answer him. Instead she looked sad, mouth opening to form words but no sound came out.

That couldn’t be good. Lance started to run, hoping his horizontal motion would somehow turn vertical and close the distance between them. “I can’t hear you! Who are you? Why do you need my help?” he called out as he ran. His feet pounded in the darkness but Lance never seemed to get closer.

The silvery head shook, long strands swishing softly around her pink cheeks. 

“I can’t help you if you _don’t talk to me_!” Lance yelled out, frustration growing. 

_Allura_ It was more a foreign thought then a voice, the woman’s lips remained unmoving.

“Allura?” Lance called, “Is that your name?” His footsteps slowed, giving up on getting any closer.

“Help me.” Was the only reply, weak now and difficult to hear.

“Dammit! I can’t help you! I told you, I don’t know what you want!” His chest felt heavy as if the Moon was crushing him, making it hard to breath. The Moon, the woman, blurred. 

“ _Lance_ ,” the soft, bell-like voice called out one last time, “You _must_ find him.”

The blackness melted away, seemed to rush out from his feet, revealing forest in its wake. He blinked up at the sky. The moon, just the moon not a woman, was closer now. He was sure of it. The soft grass tickled his cheeks and he sat up. When had he laid down? 

A circle of trees surrounded him. Everything familiar but far away, as if trying to remember something from his childhood. The same feeling of trying to dig up the earliest of memories, vague ideas of color and shadow and sound. 

Lance had a sudden realization, he was sitting in a grove. _His_ grove. Flashes of lights wove in and out of the trees and a small pool sat surrounded by huge stones. He scanned his surroundings for any clues, any reasons as to why he was here, now, in this dream. 

Purple eyes met his from across the grove. The same purple eyes of the fire demon.

_Find him._

Everything went black.

Lance shot up from bed, sheets wet with sweat and chest heaving. He clutched at his nightshirt, frantic. He was home. In his bed. It was only a dream. Another dream that left him nauseous and disoriented. 

He threw the covers off with a grunt. Lance really hoped this was a normal thing everyone went through and he wouldn’t need to see a psychiatrist about falling moons and weird fire boys that left him breathless. 

He threw his shirt in the direction of the laundry basket and padded down the hallway to the bathroom. Shucking off his briefs, Lance examined himself in the mirror. 

Two nights. Two strange dreams. Two times he’d felt like his body wasn’t his. Lance ran a hand down his chest and over the plane of his stomach. He felt the dip between his hips and traced over the sharp rise of bone. He was here. In the bathroom. In his own house. In his own body. Definitely not in some weird space elf body running through the woods. 

Lance hit his head a couple times, trying to bring himself back. To remind himself the he was real, not the dreams. He was _fine_. 

He felt gross, standing around as sweat dried against his skin. They’d promised to play video games at Pidge’s house today. If he took a quick shower he might have time for a nap before he had to leave. Stretching his back, Lance stepped forward to the shower, grateful the contents of his stomach had decided to stay put this time.

~*~

Lance showed up on Pidge’s doorstep at five past ten on the dot.

“You’re late.” Pidge blocked the doorway, looking at Lance over her glasses.

“Sorry, Pigeon. I had to get my beauty sleep. You know how it is.” Lance put a hand in the door frame and tried to push through.

Pidge stuck an elbow in his side and pushed back. “Sorry, I don’t know.” 

“Guys, what are we fighting about now?” Hunk walked up behind Lance with a pizza in his hands.

“Hunk! You brought the goods!” Pidge smiled, shoving Lance out of the doorway again.

“I wasn’t going to let us starve. We ready to spend an entire day in a dark room playing video games and eating junk, or are we going to stay outside like a bunch of normies?”

“You can come in Hunk, but _Lance_ has to stay outside and suffer in the sun.”

“Aww, c’mon! Don’t be like that, it’s hot,” Lance whined. “Let me come in, too.”

“I’m wasting precious air conditioning. My mom doesn't pay to cool off the whole state. Closing the door now!” Pidge had the door half way shut when Hunk put a strong hand out and stopped it.

“You know we need him to get us through the water temple. He’s the only one that can navigate that mess.”

Pidge let out a weary sigh, tossing Hunk a withering glance like he was asking for her right arm, soul, firstborn child, and last french fry. “ _Fine_. But only because I always get stuck without a key.”

The three friends piled inside the blissfully cool house and made their way to the living room. Piles of snacks were already set out. Pidge booted up the N64 and tossed a controller to Hunk. “You start us out.”

The familiar Zelda theme filled the room. Lance grabbed a bucket of kettle corn before settling back into the couch, one leg slung over the armrest. 

The first few hours of gameplay were straightforward, and the trio fell into a comfortable routine. Then Pidge chimed in. “So I had the craziest Sailor Moon dream last night,” she said offhand.

Lance perked up.

“What did you dream about?” Hunk asked, his whole body moving with the controller as he fought ghosts and tried to bottle them.

“You, know the anime? Sailor Moon. Only Princess Serenity was Black. Even my subconscious wants good representation.”

“Wait, what did she look like?”

Pidge glared over her glasses, head tilted. “Like Princess Serenity. Sheesh, Lance, you should know this. I understand _Hunk_ , but I expect better from you.”

“Rude. I’m only asking about your dream. Was Usagi in her seifuku?” Lance sat back trying to calm down his speeding heart. The moon lady in his dream did look an awful lot like Sailor Moon if he thought about it.

“Well, she looked like her Princess self. White dress, white hair, exactly like her, except she was Black. I really need to stop binging Sailor Moon Crystal.”

“Did she ask you for help?” Lance asked, trying to keep his voice light and casual. His stomach twisted in knots.

“Oh, yeah. I think she did.” Pidge paused, face scrunching in surprise, turning toward Lance. “How did you know that?”

“Because I had the same dream.” Lance swallowed thickly. “The Moon was falling down and this lady kept asking me to help her. Then a forest appeared and I saw Kei-” Lance cleared his throat before continuing, “this guy in the fire. And she told me to find someone.”

Both Hunk and Pidge were staring at him. Pidge half up off the floor and mouth open. The only sound was Link’s beeping hearts and theme music.

“Holy shit. It’s the same dream. Well, almost. I didn’t dream about a fire guy.” Pidge stood up and ran down the hall. She returned with a stack of paper and a pencil. Hunk saved and turned off the console.

“What are you doing?” Lance asked, sliding to the floor as they all huddled around Pidge and her paper.

“Shhh.” Pidge drew in heavy lines, marking out a rough sketch of the Moon Princess, exactly as Lance had seen her, billowing dress and full white hair and unearthly eyes.

Lance let out a high pitched noise and soon Hunk joined him. “That’s her!” 

“Yeah,” Hunk said, tapping the picture. “I saw her, too. Only I was on a mountain, not in a forest.”

“Oh my God.” Pidge dropped the pencil and sat back. “We shared a dream.” 

It was a moment before Hunk breathed out. “I don’t know if I ever told you guys about my grandma.”

Lance sat up and held up a hand to cut off his friend. “What does your grandma have to do with our dreams, Hunk? This is an important discovery, your grandma can wait.”

“My grandma is a dream-walker. A type of shaman,” Hunk continued, ignoring the interruption. “She said our family is descended from Faeid. That’s where her abilities come from.”

“What’s a Faeid?” Pidge asked.

“Its like fairies or elves. A type of elemental, supernatural being that lives in Pulotu. My grandma said one escaped and fell in love with my great-great-great grandpa. That’s why she can dream walk, and that’s why I inherited a gift.” 

Lance’s eyebrows raised. “A what, now?”

Hunk sighed. “I’m saying that maybe I’m not the only one. I’ve been having these mountain dreams for as long as I can remember. But this is the first time with... Uh, what did you call her? Super Moon?”

“ _Sailor Moon_ ,” Pidge said haughtily.

“Yeah, her. So maybe you guys might have a bit of Faeid too? Lance, didn’t you say your family thinks it descended from Yemoja herself?” His voice got excited and he bounced a little as he spoke. “Maybe we’re being sent on a spirit quest!” 

Lance nodded, about to say something but Pidge spoke over him. “Woah, fantasy is great and all. But this is real life. There has to be a logical explanation.”

“I’m kinda shocked,” Lance said, quirking an eyebrow. “I’d have thought you’d be the _first_ to jump on some sort of supernatural explanation.” 

“Don’t you think I’d like to find out I have some kind of superpower or mutation or spirit destiny? I’m a geek girl! I’ve read, watched, or played basically every version of that story that’s ever been written.” Pidge sighed. “But we live in a logical, scientific world. There are no radioactive spiders, supersoldiers, vampires or zombies out there. As sad as that is. I’m sorry, no offense to your grandma, Hunk. But there’s no way we’re descended from some fairies.”

Hunk shrugged, frowning. “My grandma taught me how talk to the mountain spirits, the Maeroero. It’s real, even if you don’t think so.”

Lance hated when his friends fought. It was like all their feelings piled up inside him. He could feel Hunk’s indgination and Pidge’s anger as if they were his own. The foreign feelings crushed his heart and he desperately tried to get his friends to calm down. “Maybe the dreams don’t mean anything, maybe they do. Maybe Hunk has a point, maybe he doesn’t. The problem is we don’t really know either way.” He turned to Hunk. “Is there, like, some kind of test we can do?”

Pidge crossed her arms and pouted, mumbling, “That’s not how this works.”

“Well… I mean, yeah, there is one thing I could do.” Hunk bit his lip and hunched over.

“Okay, then let’s try that. And if that doesn’t work we can do a quick Google search…” Lance wacked Pidge’s phone from her hands. “A quick Google search _after_ we try Hunk’s idea.”

“Fine,” Pidge grumbled.

“I don’t know about this, Lance.” Hunk fiddled with his fingers.

“Hey, whatever you wanted to try was your idea, buddy! C’mon, let’s give it a shot.” Relief flooded Lance as his friends emotions calmed down enough for him to ignore them. 

“Well,” Hunk began, then took a breath and started over. “If I do this you won’t make fun of me, right? We’ll still be friends?”

Lance nodded emphatically and elbowed Pidge who joined in with a small, “Yeah, whatever.”

Hunk pulled a necklace with a large yellow stone on the end from his pocket. “My grandma gave me this and... it changes me. It’s… kinda hard to explain. I’ll just show you.” Hunk put the amulet around his neck. “Ou te taʻua le mauga o loʻu agaga.”

A bright flash of yellow light filled the room and Lance closed his eyes automatically. 

“What the everloving fuck?!” Pidge screamed and Lance’s eyes snapped open.

There Hunk stood in a yellow lavalava. It billowed around him in a non-existent wind. Intricate tattoos wound their way across his skin and he glowed slightly.

“Hunk?”

Hunk nodded. He crouched low and stomped his foot, a large boulder emerging from Pidge’s carpet right next to where she was sitting. She screamed and backpedaled into Lance, who clutched her as they both stared up at Hunk, mouths open.

Hunk pulled the amulet from his neck and everything melted away, Hunk and the carpet returning to normal.

“So,” Hunk said shyly, “I think magic might be real.”

“Y’think?!” Lance yelled, hysteria setting into his voice. “How. Wha-” He ran a hand through his hair and pushed Pidge off him. “ _Dude._ ”

“Yeah.” Hunk shrugged. “It’s a lot, I know.”

A slow smile spread across Pidge’s face until she was grinning from ear to ear. “Magic is _real_.”

Hunk nodded.

“Oh my God. Magic is _real_. And you think _we_ might be magic too? Like you?” Pidge was up and pacing now, arms flailing wildly with her rushed words.

“Yeah, seems like it. Though, I can transform because of my Grandma’s stone.”

“Let me try!” Pidge pleaded.

“Uh, I don’t know. No one’s ever tried it outside my family.”

“You can’t just tell me magic is real and you can transform like an anime girl and then _not_ let me try!” Pidge tapped her foot, her hand suspended between them expectantly.

“Okay fine. But if you die it’s not my fault.” Hunk held out his pendant to Pidge.

She hesitated for a moment before steeling herself and reaching out. Wrapping her fingers around the dark yellow rock, she pulled at it. The stone didn’t budge. She gripped with both hands, but the necklace stayed put.

“It’s stuck to you. Why is it stuck?” She tried to tug at it, putting her whole body into it before giving up in a huff. “Lance, you try.”

“I don’t want to die,” Lance whined.

“I didn’t die, it’s safe. It just doesn’t move.”

“This is really weird. I didn’t know other people couldn’t touch it.” Hunk turned to him. “Go ahead, Lance. Try.” 

Lance got up and tentatively reached for the pendent. His hand passed right through it as if it wasn’t there. Like water over stone. “Uh?”

“Oh, this is really, really weird.” Hunk seemed more excited then freaked out.

“So weird,” Lance mocked.

“We should do something about this.” Pidge bit on her thumb.

“Like what?” Lance was done with this whole thing. He was tired. There was only so much a person could learn about the structure of the universe in one sitting before they needed a nap.

“My grandma taught me how to walk in dreams,” Hunk offered, casting gazes between his two friends hesitantly. “Maybe we can talk to the Moon Lady and ask?”

“It’s worth a shot.” Pidge nodded. Lance nodded, too. Didn’t he just say he needed a nap? Dream Walking was like a nap. Right?

Instead of the nap that Lance had hoped for, Hunk gave them both a lesson on how to meditate, so they could all cross over into the same dream. Turns out, Dream Walking is _nothing_ like taking a nap. Lance’s eyes hung heavy over blue irises. This was not going to be fun.

And since apparently Dream Walking was best done at night, they’d have to wait until dark to confront this Moon Princess. 

Lance just wanted it over with.

~*~

Lance sat in bed, going over the instructions in his head. They were supposed to start meditating around 10:00. He looked over at the clock: 9:45. A little early wouldn’t hurt right? He was new and needed to practice.

Lance nodded to himself and snuggled down into his sheets. _It won’t hurt to start now._

He imagined a golden ball of light above his head. He moved the ball in his mind and expanded it until it was covering his whole head. Hunk had told them that the point of this exercise was to make a mental shield. A sort of barrier against the sleeping realm that connected this world with the next. Lance continued to move the golden light until it surrounded his whole body like a chick in an egg. 

It was hard to keep the image in his mind while he relaxed. Lance wrinkled his nose in concentration. He realized he wasn't relaxing so he breathed out, unwrinkling his face only to lose the golden light around him. He fought like that for a good fifteen minutes.

Finally, he seemed to get the right balance of relaxation and concentration, the light felt like it was flickering around him. More like static than a shield, but at least it was there.

He breathed in three counts in, six counts out. With each breath Lance relaxed a part of his body in a circular motion. It felt like he was sinking into the bed, deeper... deeper...

_Deeper _.__

__Lance opened his eyes to find himself in the middle of that same forest, of that same grove as before._ _

__He looked up to the Moon._ _

__The beautiful silvery-haired woman floated above his head, the Moon pressing down. He could now tell that the Moon’s pressing was urgent, scared._ _

__“Help me.”_ _

___Oh no, not this again._ _ _

__“What do I need to do? You can’t keep asking me to help without telling me how!” Lance called out._ _

__“Lance!”_ _

__Lance turned at the voice to see Hunk, looking exactly like he did in the living room earlier that afternoon. Beside him stood Pidge, covered in delicate vines over a green tunic._ _

__“Woah. It worked.” Lance turned back to the Moon. “So how do we get Princess Moon-face to talk?”_ _

__Hunk stepped forward and tapped the amulet around Lance’s neck. He looked down in shock, gaze sinking into the deep blue of the stone. “What the heck?”_ _

__“Looks like we’ve all got ‘em here,” Pidge chimed in, holding hers up to show off the green stone._ _

__“I think we need to activate them together or something. Then it should bridge the gap. That is, if I understand what's going on. I’ve never gotten this far in a Dream Walk before.” Hunk bit his lip and looked at his friends for confirmation. Lance spoke up first._ _

__“Let’s try it. We don’t have a better idea and you’re the most experienced.” Lance shook his amulet. “So how do we work these things?”_ _

__Hunk scratched his chin. “I call the mountain to my heart in Gagana Samoa...Maybe try that?”_ _

__“Look, Hunk, I love you. But there’s no way I’m going to learn how to say something in Samoan in two seconds.” Lance shook his head. “Maybe it’ll work in English?”_ _

__Lance held his amulet out in front of him. “I call the mountain to my heart!”_ _

__Nothing._ _

__“Let me try something.” Pidge interjected. “I call the--” she looked down at her robe and shrugged. “The forest to my heart.” She was engulfed in a glow of green and a stream of light shot out of her stone toward the Moon. “Woah. It worked!”_ _

__Lance looked down at his own blue robes. “Uh, I guess I call the water to my heart?” A blue light flashed around him. Water-like-light flowed out of his stone and toward the Moon._ _

__“That’s it guys! We’re doing it!” Hunk cheered. “Ou te taʻua le mauga o loʻu agaga.” A strong yellow light joined the green and blue in a small rainbow._ _

__“Help me, Paladins. Please!”_ _

__“Oh my God, did you hear that? The Moon is talking to us,” Pidge said excitedly._ _

__“How do we help?” Hunk asked._ _

__“Powerful and Kind Earth. The Sun has a Shadow fierce and destructive. It is coming for you.”_ _

__“What is she talking about?” Lance whispered to Hunk._ _

__“Living Water, Source of Life. You _must_ find him. If you don’t, the Sun will consume. The Sun will devour.”_ _

__“I don’t understand anything she’s saying,” Lance mumbled. Hunk shushed him._ _

__“How do we find him? How do we stop the Shadow?” Pidge asked. The Moon turned to face the Green Paladin._ _

__“Lush and Sweet Forest, giver of shelter from the storm. It is your job to protect them. Keep them safe.”_ _

__“Yeah, Lance is right. I don’t understand anything she says.” Pidge shook her head and shrugged._ _

__“You are the chosen Paladins, descendants of the ancient Elementals that rule this land. You must destroy the Sun before it destroys this world. And yours. _Hurry._ ”_ _

__A gust of wind like a tornado roared past them, drowning out all other words._ _

__Lance’s eyes flew open and his chest heaved as if coming up for air. His fingers clutched, white-knuckling at the sheets._ _

__It was all real._ _

__Tears streamed from his eyes as sorrow overwhelmed him. Of course he’d always said he wanted to live an adventure. But now his whole world had turned on its head, and it was disorienting beyond measure. The Earth had shifted from under his feet, and Lance was freefalling with no way to stop._ _

__Lance threw the covers off. He had to talk to Hunk and Pidge. Now._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Chapter 3!! I was planning on releasing this once a week but I have so many other projects I've signed up for that I'm actually going to release this as fast as possible.  
> Let's see how I do!
> 
> And hey, thanks for reading. You mean a lot to me <3
> 
> Super thanks to my beta [Starbuck7](http://starbuck-7.tumblr.com/) (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧
> 
> [Come hit me up on Tumblr! ](http://yuzuling.tumblr.com/)


	4. Thrice, Entangled Slumbers Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Shiro get closer to the group. Shiro starts acting strange. Lance wears his heart on his sleeve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly thought that this chapter was going to be really tiny and I wasn't sure how I was going to fill this chapter full of anything but somehow it's 5k? well, enjoy this extra long chapter!

The sun blazed high in the sky. Large flares exploded from its surface as it made its way closer. Keith stood in his usual spot, right under the volcano. Dark plumes of smoke drifted overhead and blotted out the sky. Yet the sun still came, pushing through the thick curtain of ash. 

Keith held a hand over his eyes to shield himself from the glaring brightness. The Sun grew closer, as if it was falling from the sky and coming straight towards him. Yet the closer it got, the darker the world around him grew. It was strange, as if the looming sun cast a shadow instead of light. The shadow spread over the land and covered everything in a burning night. Keith lifted a hand in the air, reaching for the sun. It was so much like him, burning everything it touched. It called to him, pulled him closer. 

The volcano rumbled a warning, shaking the whole earth. 

“Join me,” the sun roared. The command whipped through the forest, ripping trees from their roots. The blast of wind came straight for Keith, cutting and destroying everything in its path.

A blue blur jumped out in front of him. The wind sliced, unmerciful. Screaming in pain, the man fell to the ground, collapsing in a pool of his own blood. The scream broke the hold the darkness had on the land, and on Keith. The world before him came into sharp focus--a raging battlefield, a victor in shining golden armor, and the broken body that now lay cradled in his arms.

Keith lifted a shaking hand, tracing the pointed jaw and sharp features of his lover. Lance smiled, broken and sad. Embers fell from Keith’s eyes, floating down to extinguish themselves on the watery being dying in his arms. He knew he was hurting him; steam poured from every point of contact. Touch was forbidden them, their opposing natures in constant conflict. But that did not matter now. Keith would at least hold his lover in death. 

Lance reached up to brush an ember from his cheek. “I’m okay. Don’t cry.”

Keith squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, tears of fire falling in thick clumps. Lance winced as they hit his skin. He pulled a smile across his face, tight and sad. 

Keith hiccuped, “You can’t leave me. I just found you.”

Using the last of his strength Lance sat up in Keith’s arms, pushing himself forward. “I’ll find you in the next life, and the life after that. I’ll find you no matter how long it takes.” Steam rose between them and Lance pressed their lips together. Their first kiss and their last. It seared his soul, burning Lance permanently into his heart. “You are my light in the dark. I could never lose you.”

Lance’s hand fell and his body became heavy in Keith’s arms. “No. No! Lance! No, you can’t leave me. Don’t leave me!” 

With a shaking hand, Keith brushed at Lance’s face, as he begged and pleaded with the dead. His fingertips left scars in their wake. Keith pulled Lance to him, rocking back and forth as he chanted the same words over and over. “Please. Please come back to me.”

Rage filled him from inside. It spiraled out from deep in his chest to manifest itself as a pillar of fire. It engulfed him, swallowed up everything he loved, everything that kept him stable. Rising to his feet, Lance’s body still clutched possessively close, he walked toward the golden figure. The war seemed to slow down around him. Anyone who didn’t move from his path was burned to ashes instantly. As Keith neared the leader he screamed, bellowing out his pain, his anguish, his fear. 

The man in gold turned toward him and all was silent. 

Keith knelt and gently lay Lance at the edge of the mountain. His body no longer recognizable from the flames that engulfed Keith, the flames that were Keith. 

Eyes never leaving Lance, Keith spoke, “I swear on his body and I swear on my flame, that I will see the end of you. I will see you burned to ashes the way my love has been burned. To the gods and to the spirits, hear my oath. I will be your downfall, Zarkon.”

A disgusting laugh was his only reply. “Nothing can touch me. I am invincible.”

Keith rose to his full height, face clam. He stood like a volcano, hellfire raging within, but all was calm on the surface. 

“You are kindling.”

Waves of magma shot out in all directions, a tidal wave of destruction. The ocean of fire ripped through the forest and over the mountain. Shrieks filled the battleground as soldiers and fae were burned alike. The inferno engulfed Zarkon, eating at his armor and melting his skin. 

Zarkon collapsed to his knees. Clawed hands swatted uselessly at the flames that melted his flesh. The enchanted flames showed no mercy and no end, fueled by their caster’s rage. From the chaos, rose Zarkon’s general and his witch, grabbing the burning body. 

The witch cast a spell and a great void ripped through time and space. The general, Sendak, carried Zarkon across the portal. The witch followed after soon after, waving her arms to cast a sigil. The warp void’s black maw slammed shut, cutting off the gateway and transporting Zarkon to an unknown universe.

Keith fell to the earth and wrapped his body over the ashes that remained of his lover. With one final breath the fire left him and spread over the entire land, consuming the magical realm in an eternal blaze. 

Keith’s eyes flew open, hot tears pouring over his cheeks and pooling in his ears. His chest heaved and hiccups made it hard to catch his breath. He ripped off the sheets and scratched at his skin, trying to peel off the burned flesh. Puffy skin followed his fingernails as the scraped sharp red lines into his skin, tearing away the layers of his nightmare.

Shaking hands came up to grip at his hair, ripping at the ebony strands. What the hell was that dream? He rocked back and forth on his bunk, eyes wide and unseeing. No. That was no dream. Something inside him told him that it was real; forgotten memories of a past that never happened. 

It all started with a cute boy in a comic book store, not even a crush. Keith just flirted for the fun of it. He was a nomad; there was no point in forming real relationships. Shiro was the only person he bothered getting close with. But while he loved Shiro dearly, he was far away, and that distance kept Keith from really connecting.

Lance was beautiful and charming and a bit of a dork, but the feelings that swelled inside his chest belied their simple meeting. The feelings he had for Lance ran deep, a connection that carried joys and sorrows and affection that felt more like longtime lovers than new acquaintances.

Keith let go of his hair and rubbed his face. 

What was he supposed to do with feelings like this? It seemed his soul was split in half; one part belonging solely to a Lance that didn’t exist on this world, the other carrying an innocent crush on the boy at the comic book shop. Keith didn’t know how to control them. Every time he was around Lance it felt like he was rubbed raw. 

Keith had buried so many emotions over the years, even losing some of the good ones in his quest to protect himself from pain. And now a simple touch had opened the Pandora’s box of his heart. He desperately wished he could stuff them all back in and lock them with a key. If he couldn’t have a normal relationship, he’d rather have none at all than the _mess_ he was now in. 

_Take them back. Please just take them back._

Keith flopped back down on his bunk. The ceiling of the trailer was plastered with pictures of the Players. Most of the pictures Keith appeared in were taken by Regris and plastered there, all without his permission. He was always a bit of a loner, a survival mechanism from his school years. Joining the RenFair at eighteen, Keith thought he’d have a chance at making connections with other outcasts. The RenFair was his whole life now, and yet he still didn’t feel like he could reach out. Maybe because he was never sure it was the life he wanted. And was this even a life he could have, now that his nightmares were back?

Thoughts racing through his head made him feel dizzy. There was still time, though. Time to figure out what to do with his life, with his job, and with the blue eyed boy who echoed his past life.

~*~

Lance bagged the pile of trades and handed it over to the large woman. “There you go. I think you’ll really like these.”

Zethrid smiled, showing off white teeth. “With _your_ recommendation, how can I go wrong?” She leaned over the counter. “Maybe we could get something to eat after your shift?”

A blush spread across his cheeks at their closeness. “Hmm, yeah I might be able to do that.” Lance pulled his phone from his pocket. “Let me just check, I think my friends wanted to hang, but I’m not sure if that was today or tomorrow.”

Lance tapped his group chat, quickly scrolling through the memes and vines that littered the conversation. “Dang, looks like tonight was a game night.” Lance bit his lip and thought quickly. “But if you wanted to, you could join us?”

Zethrid’s face lit up, then fell slightly. “Are you sure your friends won’t mind?”

He waved a hand in dismissal. “Oh yeah, they’ll be totally cool with it, don’t worry. They love meeting new people.” Lance grinned. Did he just score a date?

“Sounds good. I guess I’ll see you later tonight?” Standing up, Zethrid loomed above him.

“Yeah. Oh!” Lance gasped and reached out to snatch her sleeve, stopping her. “Wait! Let me give you my number.” 

They exchanged numbers and Zethrid left with a wave. Lance tilted his head and watched her leave. Damn, those thighs could break him in half.

Pidge nudged him with her elbow, “What was that? Flirting with cougars, now?”

Lance cocked his neck toward Pidge at his side, face contorting as he scoffed at the word. “She wasn’t _that_ old, Pidge. And those curves… she could throw me anyday.”

“She’s gotta be close to thirty. You’re like, what? Nineteen, max?”

“Excuse you. I am basically twenty.”

“ _I’m basically twenty._ ” Pidge mimicked with a smirk that she didn’t bother to conceal.

“Shut up, Squirt.” Lance ruffled her honey brown hair between his fingers. Pidge rolled her head away, but Lance chased it with his hand, rubbing harder as she squawked her dissent and shoved away his hand.

Releasing Pidge’s head and spinning around, Lance grabbed a stack of comics that were set off to the side. “I’m going to put these away, you got the register?”

Pidge nodded and waved Lance off. “Yeah, I got this. I hate touching back issues anyway. They’re so dusty.”

Lance thumbed through the stack, putting them in alphabetical order. He hummed to the Korean pop band that blared through the speakers and got lost in work. It wasn’t until he was almost done with his stack that he noticed the tall man was back. _Haxus_

“Hey, Pidge!” Lance called across the store. Two sets of eyes turned toward him--Pidge’s pleading and Haxus’ glaring.

“I need you to grab the other stack of back issues from the office.” Lance waved what was left of his own stack as if to punctuate his sentence. 

“Oh. Sure, Lance. Sorry, Haxus. Work calls.” Pidge unabashedly slammed the register closed and made off for the back room.

Haxus watched Pidge leave before rounding on Lance. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Good. Because I know what you’re doing, too.” Lance stood his ground, stubbornly refusing to blink as he faced the low life in front of him. “You’re not the _first_ stalker Pidge’s ever had, but you sure top the list of the _creepiest_.”

“How dare you,” Haxus said, getting up in Lance’s face, poking his chest with a bony finger. “You can’t speak like that to me. I’ll have you fired.” 

Lance inhaled and let out a long suffering breath. “I’m going to be very clear with you. You are not welcome in this store, starting immediately.” He squared his shoulders and pointed toward the door. “Get _out_.”

Haxus scoffed. “This stupid comic shop means nothing. I won’t just have your job, kid. I’m going to destroy everything. Just you wait.”

“That’s a direct threat, buddy. I’m calling the cops right now.” Lance pulled the store phone from his back pocket and dialed the non-emergency number. He held the phone to his ear without pressing the call button.

Haxus spit on the carpet. “You’re just a bunch of insects. I won’t forget this.” He turned and stomped out of the store. 

Lance cringed at the wet spot on the floor. _Honestly, what the hell, dude?_ Turning off the phone and stuffing it back in his pocket, he wound through the store. Lance called into the back room, “Pidge, it’s safe!”

Pidge peeked her head out. “How’d you get rid of him?”

“Kicked him out of the store, forever.” Lance drew a line over his neck with his thumb.

Mouth falling open, Pidge squawked, “You _banned_ him?! Damn. Coran isn’t going to like that.” 

He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “He threatened you. And me, and the store. I think Coran’ll understand.” 

“Damn, really? What is _with_ that guy?” Pidge walked with Lance back to the front of the store.

Lance shook his head. “I will never understand the pervs and creepers that come into this store. I don’t know why it’s so hard for some people to be a nerd _and_ a decent human being.”

“You and me both,” Pidge huffed.

Lance smirked and nudged Pidge. “You ready for tonight? Party to forget about the stalker?” 

“You bet I am.” Pidge grinned and poked Lance’s ribs. “But have you told everyone that you invited Zethrid?”

“Eh, I don’t think Hunk will mind,” Lance said, pulling out his phone to check his messages. “He’s bringing friends, too.”

“Yeah, but he’s also making food for everyone. If you don’t tell him to expect another guest, then I’m not responsible for your safety.” 

Lance put a hand on his chest and feigned shock. “I’m hurt. After all I just did for you.”

Pidge stuck her nose in the air. “Whatever. It’ll take more than that to convince me to save you from Hunk’s hosting wrath.”

“I’ll remember this injustice!” Lance whined, but tapped the group chat to tell everyone about the extra person.

~*~

The smell of garlic knots and pigs-in-a-blanket wafted through the door. Lance stood on the porch of Hunk’s apartment, soda in hand. Tonight was an all night knock-down drag-out Smash Brothers brawl, and Lance needed the caffeine.

Hunk opened the door wide and the tang of garlic hit him like a brick wall. Passing the soda off as he stepped in, Lance stopped short in the doorway. There, in his friend’s living room, was the object of all his strange late night dreams. Keith sat on the floor, innocently eating chips as if he hadn’t been haunting Lance since their first meeting. 

Hunk pushed him from behind. “What are you doing? I gotta get to my garlic knots before they burn. Pidge is already here and that’s Shiro and his brother.”

Lance closed his mouth with a snap and tried to keep his face neutral as he walked into the living room.

“What’s up, Lance?” Pidge said around a mouthful of cookies. 

Keith’s eyes locked with his at Pidge’s words. Lance didn’t look away as he answered, “Hey, Pidge. I brought Mountain Dew.”

Tearing his eyes away from Keith’s, Lance found a seat next to Pidge on the couch. As far from Keith as he could. 

Hunk popped out of the kitchen holding a serving tray stuffed with steaming bread. “So, we ready to Smash?” Hunk asked as Pidge cleared a place for the garlic knots.

“I’ve never played before, so you guys need to go easy on me,” Shiro laughed it off and Hunk smiled back. 

“Better watch out for Pidge, then. She never takes it easy. Once, she took me out in ten seconds flat. I had no chance.” Hunk moaned as he sat next to Lance’s legs, back resting on the couch. “That was a slaughter, not a fight. Throw me a controller?”

Both Shiro and Keith moved at the same time. Keith awkwardly sat back, letting Shiro grab a few controllers. He slid them across the floor towards the couch. Hunk handed one up to Lance and took one for himself. Pidge got up and picked up the Wii U controller from the side of the TV. She quickly thumbed through the menu and set up the first battle. 

Pidge smirked. “We should bet something on the winner. Make it a little more interesting.” 

“You’re only saying that because you know you’ll win,” Lance grumbled.

Pidge gasped, eyes wide. “That’s not true. Here, I’ll even use Yoshi.” 

“Oh, yeah, like that makes me feel better. Now I’ll just be an egg while I die.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Shiro added. “Spice things up. It’ll be a good team building exercise for us to get to know each other.” Shiro’s smile was bright and showed off a perfect set of pearly white teeth. 

On closer inspection, Lance had to admit that Shiro was absolutely some kind of adonis and his poor bi heart couldn’t say no to that smile. “If our guests wanna make some bets, then I guess it’s okay. It might be fun.”

Pidge’s smirk made Lance regret every word he’d just said. “Winner gets first pick from Hunk’s french toast in the morning.”

Groaning, Lance nodded his consent. “Fine. But I got dibs on Zelda.”

“Me ‘n’ Shiro aren’t staying the night. So we’re not eating breakfast,” Keith chimed in, his soft tenor cutting across the room.

Hunk rubbed his chin. “What if the winner gets to choose a prize from the first loser?”

Pidge jumped off the couch. “Hunk, you genius! Yeah, let’s do that!”

“You’re only excited because you think you’re going to get it. Everyone against Pidge!” It was his stab at a rally cry, everyone ignored him or shrugging passively. “Fine. I’ll take Pidge on myself!”

“Oh, it’s on.” Pidge pressed the start button with a flare. 

The group of friends smashed buttons and chewed on lips as they concentrated on throwing each other off the platform. 

“No!” Lance yelled as Zelda fell for the last time. “How are Shiro and Keith still in? I feel like this is a set up.”

“No one likes a whiner.” Hunk bumped his knee. 

Lance grumbled and sunk back into the couch to watch the rest of the fight. Hunk was the next to go and then Keith. Soon only Pidge and Shiro were left. 

“I thought you said you never played this before,” Keith grumbled.

Shiro smirked. “I haven’t, but I’ve played lots of fighting games in my time.” 

Pidge’s eyes flashed and she hunched forward. Lance knew that look, Shiro was going down.

It was only a few moments before Yoshi turned Samus into an egg and threw her off the map. A flash of light and Yoshi was declared winner. 

“Yes! I win!” Pidge jumped up, throwing her hands over her head.

Shiro threw the controller across the room and all eyes turned on him, his face contorted in rage. Lance felt scared for a moment before Keith put a hand on Shiro’s shoulder, snapping him out of it.

“Oh no. I’m so sorry guys. I don’t know what came over me.” Shiro got up to fetch the controller, turning it carefully over in his hands, examining it for any harm.

“It’s okay, man.” Hunk shrugged. “Why don’t we take a break and eat some food?” Everyone nodded tentatively. 

_Ding Dong_

The doorbell rang and everyone jumped, all heads turning toward the sound.

“Who--?” Hunk started to ask.

“Zethrid!” Lance jumped up from the couch and ran to answer it. Hunk’s eyes widened and he followed after Lance to greet the new guest.

Both boys slammed into the door to stop their momentum. They backed up in a tangle of legs and feet, trying to gain their balance. Lance shoved Hunk away and threw open the door. “Zethrid, you made it!” Smile plastered across his face, Lance stepped back to let her in.

“Welcome, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Hunk.” Hunk held out his hand and it was enveloped in Zethrid’s larger one. Lance felt his crush grow a little stronger.

The three walked back into the living room, Hunk taking the lead to introduce everyone. “You’re just in time to eat. This is Shiro, Keith, and that small gremlin over there is Pidge.” Each person waved slightly at their introduction. “Everyone, this is Zethrid. Lance’s _date_.”

Keith’s head whipped so fast it looked like it was going to snap off. His eyes grew dark and he hunched into himself, leaning closer to Shiro.

Lance lead Zethrid to sit next to him and the group gathered around the coffee table, hands snatching up food as fast as they could. An easy discussion about their recent battle quickly filled the room, everyone careful to avoid the topic of Shiro’s outburst.

“Even if she dies, she’s beautiful.” Lance stared dreamy-eyed into space, clasping his hands dramatically. 

“Calm down your hard-on for a bunch of pixels.” Pidge thwaped him upside the head.

Lance glared and crossed his arms. “Zelda is a perfect collection of pixels and she should be appreciated.” 

“What happened to, _‘Oh, Link! He could master my sword any day’?_ ” Hunk mimicked in a high pitched voice.

Keith spit out his hot dog, chunks of food spraying the table. He coughed, face turning red. Shiro pounded his back. 

“Woah, are you okay? I know, Lance’s sword isn’t exactly dinner table appropriate,” Hunk said. “Sorry about that.”

“I’m okay.” Keith squeaked out between coughs, eyes watering.

Zethrid guffawed, “I like a man that can appreciate Zelda and Link. They are both fine specimens.”

Lance nodded emphatically. “Zethrid knows what’s up. Link is an equally perfect collection of pixels. There is enough room in my heart for both of their beautiful faces. Not to mention, they both look hot in all their outfits.” Lance leaned closer to Zethrid, smiling. “You’d make a really good Sheik.”

A slightly damp napkin hit him in the face. He looked up to see Keith glaring at him. “Get a room.” 

“Don’t be jealous, Keithy boy.” Lance threw the napkin back. “You’re hot enough, you could be Noctis from Final Fantasy.”

Keith’s whole face lit up red and he turned away, hiding in his hair. “Whatever. I don’t even know who that is.”

“Okay, I’m going to ignore what you just said there because Hunk likes you,” Lance said with a shake of his head. 

“I can’t ignore it,” Pidge grumbled. “That’s a friendship breaker.”

Lance lifted his voice to talk over her, “Anyways, speaking of outfits--are we going to make some for the RenFair?”

Lance’s eyes flashed to Keith’s. It was difficult to separate the idea of the RenFair from Keith, and _impossible_ to separate Keith from Dream Keith. His heart raced and Lance clenched his fists under the table. 

“You’re all coming to the RenFair? That’s where I work.” Zethrid smiled over at Keith. Keith turned away and looked extra interested in the empty bag of chips at his elbow. 

“Cool. So you and Keith work together? You did come into Atomic with that one guy.”

“No, we don’t work together,” Keith spat out. “Just at the same place.” 

Zethrid quirked an eyebrow at Keith. “Yeah. We aren’t exactly friends or anything.” She turned to Lance. “But I think it’s cool you’re going to make costumes. I like when the visitors get into it.”

“I think it’s a good idea!” Hunk said, pouring some Mountain Dew into his cup. “Maybe we can have a sewing party? We can do it here if you guys want.” 

“Yes! Let’s do this!” Pidge bounced and leaned forward. “We can go fabric shopping and make super cool authentic costumes.”

Keith cleared his throat. “Well, actually I already have a couple of costumes.”

Pidge’s smile fell a little. “I guess you would, since you work there and all.”

Hunk leaned in. “Well maybe you can help us make them? We should all do it together.”

“I mean,” Keith began and shrugged, “I guess I can sew.” 

Lance and Pidge exchanged smiles. Pidge let out a whoop, “This is going to be the best RenFest ever!”

They set a time and date for their sewing party, everyone exchanging numbers. A few more names were added to the group chat. 

Keith left with Shiro, the dark haired boy knocking on the door frame as they left. 

_He’s so weird._ Lance grumbled to himself.

Lance stared at Keith’s name in his phone. He shook his head. No, he had a crush on Zethrid, who liked comic books and could keep up in a geeky conversation and didn’t throw glares during fun parties. Not creepy RenFair boys who plagued his dreams with fire and death.

Lance clicked his phone off. 

~*~

Much to Lance’s dismay, Keith and Shiro became a permanent part of their group over the following weeks. The pair were always there during game nights or shopping trips. Once they even showed up with Hunk at Atomic Comics for lunch. 

Lance pulled a bolt of fabric off the shelf to check the price. _Nope. Waaaay too expensive. _He pushed it back to its original position.__

__Not only was Keith now a part of his main group of friends--and just as mopey as ever--but Shiro was a whole other can of worms. Hunk swore Shiro was sweet and calm, but as far as Lance could tell he seemed to have a big temper problem, and it was only getting worse._ _

__Lance winced as he heard something that sounded like metal clang to the floor and Shiro’s voice echo through the store. He was on his last nerve with these two._ _

__Winding his way through the tall shelves he found the source of the noise._ _

__“I didn’t mean to knock into you, okay?” Keith whisper-yelled at Shiro, and Lance ducked back behind the end cap display of wooden Valentine’s hearts._ _

__“I keep telling you to be more careful,” Shiro growled._ _

__“It was an accident, Shiro.”_ _

__“You broke the damn thing.”_ _

__“And I’ll pay for the damn thing. It’s not that big a deal. God!”_ _

__“You wouldn’t _have_ to pay for it if you looked where you where you were going, like any other human being on the planet.”_ _

__“It’s just a stupid rod!” Keith’s voice was raising now, but no louder than his normal speaking voice. His very forceful speaking voice. “Calm the hell down!”_ _

__“You want _me_ to calm down? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?” A snide grin painted Shiro’s face in a cruel pattern. “You’re the one skittering around me like I’m made of glass, jumping at noises. I swear, you haven’t been this clumsy since we got sent to New Horizons.”_ _

__Lance could only see part of Keith’s face from his position at the end of the aisle, but he recognized his posture stiffen. If anything, his voice dropped lower after that. “Don’t talk about that.”_ _

__“Talk about what? About the whiny little kid, always jumping into bed with me? ‘Oh, Shiro, I had another nightmare! Shiro, the other kids beat me up! Shiro, they locked me in the basement! Shiro, I can’t sleep, wah wah!’”_ _

__“What the _fuck_ is your problem!?” Keith shouted, stepping in to close the distance, and Lance knew he couldn’t stand by any longer._ _

__“Woah, guys. What’s going on?” Lance tried to step between them._ _

__Keith jumped away, putting a good two feet between himself and Lance. “Nothing’s going on. Everything is fine.”_ _

__Shiro muttered something under his breath and strode off unceremoniously down the aisle, hitting a wooden letter off the shelf as he left. Keith looked like he wanted to follow, but Lance was blocking his path. He sighed, a pained expression on his face before he looked up at Lance._ _

__“You didn’t have to jump in here, Lance,” Keith spat. “I had it under control.”_ _

__The words stung as they were thrown at him. “Yeah, seems like.” Lance shook his head to clear his frustration. Obviously Keith didn’t want him here. Well, that was easy enough to fix. “Whatever, man. I was just trying to help.” He spun on his heel to leave._ _

__“Wait.” Keith reached out, snatching his wrist as he turned._ _

__Both boys jumped back in an instant, Keith ripping his hand away and Lance letting out a hiss._ _

__“Ouch, dammit, fuck! That fucking hurt.” Lance looked down at his wrist and a red imprint the exact size of Keith’s fingers encircled it._ _

__Keith shook his hand, blowing on it. “What the hell?” It hadn’t so much hurt him as it shocked him. It felt like his hand combust into flames when they touched._ _

__“Stay away from me.” Lance backed up a few paces, clutching his wrist. He turned and ran down the aisle and out the store._ _

__The world didn’t make sense anymore, but at least he knew something supernatural was happening. Clearly those weren’t your average disturbing dreams of a hot guy you met at a comic book store. He needed to talk to Hunk about this. Maybe Keith was… _like them?_ _ _

__Lance made a fist, nails biting into his palm. No. Talking to Hunk meant telling him about the dreams and he did _not_ want Hunk walking around in _those_ dreams. This was so much easier when Lance thought the fire was just a metaphor for ‘hot’ and water for ‘thirsty’._ _

__He could handle this. He _would_ handle this. Lance found himself at his car in the parking lot. Pulling out his phone, he shot a quick text to the group._ _

___I’m out by the car. I’ll wait for everyone here_ _ _

__Keith and Shiro had issues, that was clear. It also wasn’t any of his business. But this was the second time the touch between them had burned and two for two wasn’t doing his denial any favores. Hesitating a moment, he bit his lip. No, he was going to do this. Lance pulled up Keith’s number and typed out a message._ _

___Hey. I think we should talk. In private._ _ _

__His thumb hovered over the send button. He was about to admit to someone that he was having dreams about them, and that he thought they might possibly know each other from a past life. A past _magical_ life. _ _

__Squeezing his eyes shut, Lance pressed send._ _

__Yep, he was officially a certified idiot. Lance held up his wrist. The red marks faded along with the pain, leaving no evidence of their contact. A pang of sadness hit him. Head falling back on the car, he slouched his full weight into it. His heart was hot and cold when it came to Keith, and he was tired of the emotional tug-of-war._ _

__A vibration shocked him from his self deprecation._ _

___Sure. Where do you want to meet?_ _ _

__There was no turning back now. Lance steeled himself, it was time to face his past life and learn what fate had planned for him._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I crawl in, clutching chapter four in my fist. Two broken wrists cause my hands to hang limply and my eyes are sunken and bruised. I fall forward, the pages slipping from my fingers and fluttering to the floor. "It's done," I say with my last breath. 
> 
> "What about chapter 5?" You ask.
> 
> I look up, eyes glassy and unseeing. "Of course, how could I forget?" I crawl out of the room and wrap my wrists in bandages. I type. I type each word, one after the other. I can do it. I can finish. I am half way though. I repeat that to myself until I collapse, blood pooling by my mouth, dripping onto my keyboard.
> 
> j/k I love you guys. and LOOK we're at the mid point! only 4 more chapters ooooh! stuff is about to HAPPEN! get ready for the action!
> 
>  
> 
> [Come hit me up on Tumblr! ](http://yuzuling.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> Super thanks to Hytone195 who pushed me to finished and edited behind me as I wrote. you are the real mvp!
> 
> Shout out to [Starbuck7](http://starbuck-7.tumblr.com/) for spending the day cleaning this up with me ;3; ily
> 
> Beautiful art by [Nadia Syahda](http://nadiasyahda.tumblr.com/)


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